John (Auburn Class of 1962) and Faye Vick of Andalusia, Ala. recently donated thousands of 19th.-century artifacts to Auburn University. The Vick Collection focusses on American postal history, the Civil War, naval history, and the history of Alabama.

A portion of the collection is currently on display in 13 glass display cases in the Special Collections and Archives Department located on the Ground Floor of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library.

Among the items on display is a letter signed by Raphael Semmes, captain of the Confederate Navy commerce raider CSS Alabama. The ship was the South's most successful naval commerce raider during the Civil War. Also on display are Confederate Marine Corps letters from Lieut. Edward Crenshaw of Butler County and many historical postal items.

The Vick Collection will remain on display through August. Click on this link to see hours of operation for the Special Collections and Archives Department.